Corinthians retained this Sunday the leadership of the Brazilian Championship after getting a 1-1 draw in a tense classic against Sao Paulo, who dreamed of reaching the top of the table with the goal of the Argentine Jonathan Calleri.
It was the star duel of this seventh day. Corinthians, directed by the Portuguese Vítor Pereira, defended the leadership at home against Sao Paulo who could have taken all three points were it not for the brilliant performance of veteran goalkeeper Cássio.
Rogério Ceni’s team was better in the first half and took the lead just before the break thanks to Calleri’s goal, an old acquaintance of Spanish football and current top scorer in the Brazilian League, with seven goals.
They could have been more, but Cássio worked several miracles at the Corinthians Arena that kept his team alivein a tense game in which there was no lack of fights between players, who almost came to blows on more than one occasion.
In the second half, Morumbí’s Tricolor disappeared. Ceni’s changes had no effect and the team lost control of the midfield, especially when Rodrigo Nestor was substituted.
The away siesta was taken advantage of by Corinthians to equalize ten minutes from the end.
The tie keeps the team from Pereira in the lead, with 14 points, just two above PalmeirasSao Paulo, Atletico Mineiro and Botafogo.
on this journey The controversy with the VAR was not lacking either. It happened on Saturday in the 0-0 that Santos and Ceará signed. The video referee annulled a goal by striker Leo Baptistao for the locals for a highly debatable previous foul.
Santos coach, Argentine Fabián Bustos, expressed his displeasure at a press conference and said he did not understand how VAR works in Brazil.
“I do not understand that the VAR calls (to see the play) when the referee was two meters from the play and ordered to continue. He ordered to continue and they cancel the goal in an incredible way”She complained.
The VAR was also decisive for the draw between Cuaibá and Internacional, which saved a point thanks to a revised penalty and transformed by the Uruguayan striker Carlos de Pena.
On the other hand, Fluminense sank a little more this Sunday to Fortalezabottom and only team of the twenty of First that still does not know what it is to add the three points.
The set of Rio de Janeiro won 0-1 to the team coached by the Argentinian Juan Pablo Vojvoda, thanks to a goal from Luiz Henrique, who will soon pack his bags for Real Betis in Spain.
It was a class goal in which the young attacker cut his opponent off and shot from the large area to the back of the net.
Flamengo, for its part, defeated Goiás by a tight 1-0 in the Maracana, he parked the crisis between the squad and the technical commission and moved away from the relegation zone; while Palmeiras thrashed Juventude 0-3 at home and took second place.
América Mineiro and Botafogo did not go beyond 1-1 and Atlético Goianiense got its first win in the League, after beating Coritiba 2-0, although it is still in relegation places to the Second Division.
